A chance at redemption
by TheGreatAnimeFan
Summary: Post Eines Lobby The fight against CP9 is over, but Sogeking has one last mission to fulfill. Nakamaship One Shot


Disclaimer: I of course don't own One Piece the greatest series on the face of the earth, but I'm sure you guys already know that.

It was finally over. Robin was back with her nakama once more, CP9 was defeated, and even though they hadn't been able to stop the Buster Call in time the Straw Hat Pirates had narrowly escaped Eines Lobby just in the nick of time thanks to the combined efforts of the remaining Galley La members and the Franky Family. As they sped away from the judicial island they all watched in awe as the entire island crumbled and fell into the bottomless waterfall below due to the sheer destructive power that the infamous Buster Call was known for.

It wasn't long before they were all safely back in Water 7 as news had already began to spread worldwide about the pirate crew who dared to declare war against the World Government led by their captain Monkey D. Luffy who was not only considered a worldwide threat now, but also the most dangerous man alive.

As far as Water 7 itself was concerned, the place was still in ruins after the worst Aqua Laguna to hit the water city in many years. However, the restoration led by Iceberg was slowly underway and it wouldn't be long until the city was back to the bustling metropolis that it used to be.

So seeing as how the cleanup was underway, it was no surprise to any one that the sea trains would be running again and here's where our story begins.

At any other time the sea train terminals were usually busy, but with many people having evacuated to different islands before the Aqua Laguna followed by the clean up afterwards it was understandable to see that the train terminal was completely empty except for a certain long nosed man wearing a yellow mask and red cape who at the moment was playing with the train ticket in his hand as he stared at the floor in silence; his trusty slingshot Kabuto beside him. The whole ordeal to get Robin back had been hard on all of them, but it had been especially hard on the so-called king of Sharpshooter Island.

Ever since the incident with Aokiji he had been questioning his worthiness to the crew as a whole, and after he had learned of Going Merry's fate his resolve had been completely shattered leading to his leaving the crew as well as his new identity as Sogeking. While he had been glad to help his nakama once more in the battle at Eines Lobby he still had been unsure of himself thinking he was nothing but a dead weight that would only hold the crew back despite the protests from the other crewmembers. Even now, as much as he wanted to be with his nakama once more, he had convinced himself that they didn't need him any longer.

Looking back on things now he had told this to the swordsman just a few hours ago.

(Flash Back)

After they had all arrived back in Water 7, the resident cyborg Franky had wanted to make it up to the Straw Hat's after all the trouble he had caused them. So he had decided right then and there to build his dream ship for them to use. The Straw Hat's along with the Franky Family had also been able to salvage back as much of the Going Merry as they could after Luffy had persuaded Franky (most likely by stubbornly annoying him until Franky agreed) to use parts of the Going Merry in the construction of the dream ship including Luffy's special seat which would proudly sit once again at the front of the ship. Franky had then forced everyone to leave him to his work since he wanted to do this project alone, and when the ship was finally done weeks later it was a truly beautiful site to behold. In Franky's own words it was truly the greatest ship he had ever made. Much to Franky's disappointment though, Luffy had refused to use the name "Battle Franky" for the ship's name since the crew considered it to be the new and improved Going Merry.

It was at that time Franky put it bluntly that he would be going with them, since if he left the ship in their hands it probably wouldn't even make it to the ends of the earth. However, they all knew that this was just Franky's way of asking if he could accompany them. If it had been at any other time before the entire incident at Eines Lobby, Luffy probably would have flat out refused, but after all they had been through up to that moment it was no surprise to at least the other members of the Straw Hat crew when Luffy just smiled and accepted Franky as their new shipwright.

At the time Franky had thought the other members of the Franky Family would be hit hard by this news that their boss would be leaving them to join a group of pirates led by an idiotic captain. However, when Franky had told his nakama that he was going to be leaving them to fulfill his dream they had been more accepting than even he had thought possible. The other members of the Franky Family had known for a long time that after Franky had built his dream ship he would want to be there with it when the ship reached the ends of the earth. Needless to say it had been a tearful goodbye on all sides.

The next day the new Going Merry would set sail for the next island in the Grand Line and it was at this time when an irate Roronoa Zoro finally found the person he had been looking for.

"Oi! Usopp! There you are. Everyone's been looking for you. Come on we're about ready to leave." Zoro stated while placing his arms across his chest.

"No… I'm not going with you guys." Usopp said quietly and sighed quietly while still wearing the Sogeking outfit complete with a new mask he had gotten after the last one fell apart.

"Quit joking around and come on." Zoro stated irritably

"I said NO! Can't you guys take a hint? I'm not part of the crew anymore, and besides Luffy wouldn't want a worthless guy like me back anyways!" Usopp practically yelled before being knocked to the ground courtesy of one of the swordsman's fists.

It wasn't like Zoro to ever use his fist but at that moment he didn't really care. He didn't have time to deal with this kind of crap any longer.

"What'd you do that for?" Usopp asked as he picked himself up off the ground, a trickle of blood coming from his lip under the mask from where Zoro hit him. As he looked up into the eyes of the swordsman he could almost see how angry, possibly even furious Zoro was.

"Quit acting like a damn baby already!" Zoro growled in an angry tone "Do you really think Luffy would let you go so easily over a stupid fight after all that crap we went through to get Robin back?"

"Maybe... possibly… I don't know." Usopp said as he stood up and looked at the ground, a hint of sadness in his voice. "It's just… I don't really fit in with you guys. After all everyone is either strong or has a useful skill… Even Nami and Chopper have more use on the crew than me, but what good am I? I'm not good for anything. I'd just be in the way." Usopp stated feeling as though tears were about to pour from his eyes.

"If Luffy thought you weren't good for anything and that you would only get in the way… Don't you think he wouldn't have let you come with us in the first place?" Zoro said which made Usopp's head rise a little in surprise.

"I guess…" Usopp sighed a little

"Listen. Personally I don't care what you do now, but if this is what you really want. At least come and say good bye to everyone before we leave." Zoro said before turning his back on Usopp and walking the other way. "It's your choice."

"Um Zoro… The dock is the other way…" Usopp stated but Zoro was already too far away to hear him.

(End flashback)

"Last call for those boarding the sea train!" a voice over the intercom stated bringing Usopp out of his thoughts.

"Oh no! The train's going to leave without me!" Usopp panicked as he grabbed Kabuto and started running for the platform only to see the sea train starting to move as he arrived. "W-Wait for me!" Usopp yelled as he ran beside the train, only to stop and watch the train zoom down the tracks from the edge of the platform. Usopp sighed inwardly guessing that fate wasn't on his side today.

Already the sun was beginning to set causing the sky to be bathed in red, orange, and purple as Usopp left the train terminal, sighting inwardly as he walked down the street. He wasn't sure what to do now. That had been the last sea train for the day, and he had no where to go until the trains started up the next day. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't realized he had walked down by the docks until he raised his head a little only to see the one person he didn't want to see.

Luffy.

Monkey D. Luffy had his back to the sharpshooter and was staring in awe at the new Going Merry proclaiming how cool it was, and how Sanji should make tons of meat tonight so they could have a big party to celebrate their new ship. Usopp stood there like a statue. He didn't know what to do. Part of him wanted to run away, but his feet wouldn't carry him. By this time Luffy had gone silent causing the sharpshooter to feel even more nervous.

"Thanks Usopp for helping us save Robin." Luffy said breaking the silence.

Usopp cleared his throat and began to talk in the usual way he did for his Sogeking role "No problem! After all that's what us… heroes… do?" he said as the realization of what Luffy said hit him like a brick to the face. "You knew it was me?"

"Yep!" Luffy said happily while letting out a small chuckle

"But… how did you…" Usopp started to say

"I just knew!" Luffy said cheerfully

"You just knew?" Usopp said practically slack jawed at that moment. Was their captain smarter than they took him credit for? Luffy just turned around and nodded with that large goofy grin on his face. Usopp took off the Sogeking mask and just stared at Luffy for a moment before walking a little closer.

"Luffy… About what happened… I kind of overreacted and said a lot of things I didn't mean." Usopp started to say before Luffy interrupted him.

"It's all right. We both did. The Going Merry meant a lot to all of us. It was hard to say good bye." Luffy continued to grin, which made it even harder for Usopp to apologize. Wasn't Luffy supposed to be mad at him?

"You're coming with us right?" Luffy then said his smile turning to a frown as he looked at Usopp questioningly

"I don't know… I mean… I want too but would you really want me back? I'm not exactly useful after all." Usopp said while looking at his best friend

"Everyone has things they can or cannot do." A voice from the ship said causing Usopp to look up to see the other members of the Straw Hat crew looking down on them smiling.

"You do what I can't do, and I'll do what you can't. That's what I told you… wasn't it Usopp?" Sanji said as he casually lit a cigarette.

"It's true that I want to be the pirate king, but I can't do it alone. I need all my nakama to be with me." Luffy grinned causing Usopp to look back at him once again. "What do you say?" Luffy finished as he stretched out his hand.

Usopp looked from Luffy to everyone else and before he knew what was going on. He had already shook Luffy's hand. "I-I want to be with you guys until the end!" Usopp cried out as tears began to flow down his cheeks causing everyone on the ship to grin wider; except for Franky who was instead crying over the emotional moment while making a speech about nakama that no one was particularly listening too.

"Welcome home." Luffy grinned even wider than before.

"Yeah…" said Usopp smiling for the first time in a long while "It's nice to be back where I belong."

The End

Author notes: Well this is my first One Piece fanfic. I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as I did making it.

Well until next time!


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